


paper boats floating on a stream (Kastle Transistor AU)

by findingblissinignorance



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, But mostly angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Transistor AU, if you know the game Transistor you understand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28597797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/findingblissinignorance/pseuds/findingblissinignorance
Summary: Karen Page is the most influential singer in New York City. When a group called the Camerata attempts to assassinate her during a private rehearsal, things don't go the way they expected. Her bodyguard, the mysterious Marine, saves her life and his consciousness ends up inside their weapon, the Transistor.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Karen Page
Comments: 6
Kudos: 9





	1. Crash()

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuse for this. I was playing Transistor one day and was just like what if this was Kastle? No one else had written it that I could find so I had to do it for myself.

New York City was once known as the city that never slept, but on that night, you never would have known it. The streets, usually crowded with people and loud with the sounds of traffic, music, and conversation, were empty and quiet. The Process had taken over and now the city was in a sleep it may never wake up from. 

A woman in a long golden dress stood alone on a dock in Queens. As a cool breeze brushed over her, she shivered and hugged herself tightly as if that could keep the chill creeping through her at bay. Her dress was torn and a few locks of her strawberry blonde hair had fallen loose from where they had been perfectly placed, but she still was a sight of grace and beauty standing there. Even if she didn’t feel it. 

There had been a fight during her private rehearsal. Well, fight was generous. The scuffle that had broken out at her last show the year before, the one that had led to her hiring a bodyguard, that was a fight. This was an ambush. An attack. The Camerata, a group who was supposed to help the city, had _attacked_ her. If it hadn’t been for her bodyguard… She tried not to think about it. 

_The Marine._

He had saved her, but where was he now? And how did she get here? There were too many questions rushing through her head and no answers in sight. Moving away from the water, she tried to call out for her protector, but no sound escaped her lips. No matter what she tried to say, the words couldn’t come out. Karen Page’s hands moved to her throat as she silently mourned her loss. The one weapon she had was gone. 

Unfortunately, it seemed as though her voice wasn’t the only thing she had lost that night. 

Turning the corner, Karen saw what she didn’t want to believe was true. The Marine was slumped over, motionless. The Camerata’s weapon, a large teal broadsword that looked more like a circuit board than an actual blade, had nearly pinned him to the wall behind him. The sight stopped her in her tracks, a hand reached up to hold back her sob. There had been a threadbare hope that maybe, in all of the chaos, he had managed to survive as well. He had always been a fighter. He had survived so much already, why not this? Instead he had taken the killing blow meant for her. 

Before she could bring herself to move again, she heard the faint familiar voice begin speaking. “Where are you? God damn it, don’t be gone. She can’t be gone. If she’s hurt... I’ll what? What the hell am I going to do? I’m stuck… I’m inside that thing. What is… There’s nothing...” His voice faded out and she pushed forward again, stumbling towards him to see if she could help him. She was only a few feet away when she heard him speak again.

“Ma’am? Is that you?” Karen dropped in front of his still form. The words hadn’t come from his mouth but rather the weapon that had killed him. It glowed with his words as he spoke. Another sob escaped her as once again her hope was shattered. “I’m here. I’m still here. In a way.” She lay a gentle hand on his cheek even though she knew he was no longer there. “I’m okay. You’re alive. That’s what matters.”

There was another beat of silence as she pulled away from him. She longed to speak to him. To thank him for saving her life. To scream at him for losing his own in the process. To say the words she always meant to but never did. But all she could give him was deafening silence. 

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Miss Page, what’s wrong?” She simply shook her head as her hand moved to her throat. “Those bastards stole your voice. I’m going to kill-” The voice cut off. There was nothing he could do, not anymore. Frank Castle truly was dead now and all that remained was trapped inside this thing. “We need to get you out of here. Out of the city. As far from the Empty Set as you can get.” 

Karen gave a small nod as she stood up again. They needed to move fast and that meant a wardrobe change was needed. She reached down and pulled at a rip in her dress, tearing at it to make the skirt shorter and more manageable. As the golden fabric fell discarded to the ground, another chill ran through her. He must have seen her shiver because the Marine spoke up again. “Take my coat and put it on.” She took one more moment to look at his still form before gently leaning his body forward to work the coat off of him. She examined it briefly, her fingers brushing over the design on the back. It was an artistic interpretation of a skull, too geometric to really be seen as gruesome, but Karen remembered a time she had teased him about how it did not exactly fit her style.

* * *

_"What will the people say?” Karen stared at his back and the menacing image stared back. “I know a bodyguard is meant to be threatening but it might be a bit much. They might think you’re some psychopath." She chuckled and pat his shoulder so that he would turn back to her. There was a hint of a smile on his face when she looked up at him. The sight always made her heart flutter in her chest. She always felt his real smiles were reserved for her._

_"I think even without the skull, ma'am, I would never be a match for you. Little too rough around the edges." His voice held the same wry humor she had grown so attached to._

_"And yet…" She placed her hand on his chest. He tensed and breathed in sharply. It was a subtle reaction, but she was so tuned in to him these days, she caught it easily._

_"And yet," He repeated before placing a large hand over hers. She could see the faint remnants of bruises on his knuckles, a glimpse into the other side of him. He had long since given up trying to seriously warn her away from him. Frank Castle was obstinate and nothing less than a pain in the ass, but somehow Karen Page, the slight woman with an icy glare, was even worse than him. “Something tells me you don’t quite care what they have to say. You are a stubborn woman, Miss Page.”_

_“I prefer the term tenacious.” That made him laugh. It was a surprisingly warm sound from someone who seemed so gruff. Karen smiled brilliantly at the sound._

_"Come on," The Marine leaned down to press a light kiss to her cheek. A soft gesture, another thing that would surprise anyone who didn't know the man like she did. "You have rehearsal to get to."_

* * *

Once she pulled the coat on, she held it closed tight over her chest. It was as much for comfort as warmth. “Good, now take the weapon. Take it with you because they aren’t going to let you get away that easy.” Karen took a hold of the hilt of the weapon and gave a tug. It was heavier than she had expected it to be. “Almost, just a bit more.” With another yank, she managed to free it from his body.

“Atta girl. Together again.” The Marine chuckled dryly. “Sort of.”


	2. Breach()

As they wound their way through the alleys, Karen dragged the strange broadsword behind her. It didn’t seem to damage it in any way and the weapon wasn't sharp so she didn't have to worry about dulling it. Besides, If she was going to get through the night, she needed all the energy she could spare. 

At the end of maybe the third block, she found one of the many terminals that were scattered about the city. She had been keeping an eye out for one of them, hoping to find information about what was happening. An article, a news report, a message board, anything that could have helped, but she should have known better. All that was available on this terminal was a poll for what the weather should be that evening. 

“If it was raining it could help cover your tracks, but of course that isn’t an option. Nobody wants rain in their perfect little city.” The Marine grumbled as Karen put in her vote for a light, warm breeze. 

New York City was constructed by what the people knew as the Process. They were the semi-autonomous machines that built, modified, and repaired everything about the city. Buildings, streets, the weather, the color of the sky even, everything could be changed using the Process to fit the whim of the people. And of course these decisions were made by voting in polls to ensure that the city was a total democracy. At least that was the way it was supposed to be. 

The Camerata was proof that there was more going on behind the scenes than most of the citizens knew. 

* * *

_“Karen Page… you’ve made quite a name for yourself.” The clipped tone came from behind her and she turned quickly. There stood a man far bigger than any man she had ever seen before. He was dressed impeccably in a white suit and an equally exquisite woman had her arm linked with his._

_The Fisks._

_They made for an interesting pair. Vanessa Fisk was known for her grace and being at ease in social situations like this. She thrived in this world. Wilson Fisk, however, always felt out of place in scenes like this and not just because of his size. His words came out awkward and stilted. Still, he had an ability to command a room, even if it did not seem to come naturally to him. Somehow these two opposites made for a perfect coupling by all accounts. Even just seeing them together now for the first time, Karen didn’t doubt they were deeply in love and completely enraptured with each other._

_“It is so good to see you again, Karen.” Vanessa said._

_“You as well, Vanessa.” Karen replied with a smile. It was a forced smile, though no one who didn’t really know her would ever be able to tell. It was no slight on Vanessa Fisk personally, in fact the woman had been incredibly gracious when they last met. It was the event itself. When the upper crust of New York met, there was always the feigned politeness and expectations. Karen hated attending parties like this, but as the most popular singer in the city somehow she always found herself invited. “And it is so good to finally meet your husband. Mr. Fisk, I’ve heard so much about you.”_

_“The pleasure is mine, Miss Page.” He gave her a small nod and soon Vanessa was speaking again._

_“Where is that lawyer that was with you at the gallery? He was an interesting man.” Vanessa chuckled as she leaned towards Karen conspiratorially. “And certainly very handsome.” Her husband made a soft noise and she lightly patted his chest._

_Karen shook her head slightly with a quiet laugh. “He certainly is. Unfortunately, it turns out he has far more interesting things to be doing than to be hanging on my arm.” She hid her hurt easily, but was grateful when Wilson Fisk spoke before Vanessa could inquire further about Matt. That wound was still a little too fresh._

_“Vanessa, might I have a moment with Miss Page?”_

_“Of course, my dear. I should make the rounds anyway.” Vanessa pressed up to kiss his cheek, leaving them so she could mingle with the other party goers._

_Fisk watched her as she walked away before addressing Karen again. “I heard about your show last week, I hope you are doing well?”_

_“Yes. Thank you. Though I’m probably going to be stepping back from society for a while. From this.” Karen gestured with a little wave of her hand at the party around them. “I’m just thinking it would be a good time for me to focus on my music.”_

_“I understand. I could see how that would be quite… disconcerting.” He paused briefly before continuing. “Lewis Wilson. He called you an instigator. A provocateur. Your music obviously has an effect on people.”_

_Karen tensed at the man’s name. Lewis Wilson had started a fight at her show; one where the administrators had to be called in to remove him and ban him from the premises. The citizens of New York all coexisted relatively peacefully so it had been an altercation unlike anything the city had seen in nearly five years and for him to put the blame on her…_

_Her eyes scanned the room quickly before they landed on the Marine where he stood apart from the crowd. He was the new bodyguard she had taken on after Lewis. It was clear why he was known as the Marine. His close cut hair, the way he held himself, and his surly expression, everything about him hinted at the soldier he must have once been. She didn’t know his name, yet, but already she felt more at ease around him than anyone else she had been around before. He met her gaze and she felt her tension ease. “That was never my intention. The words I write-”_

_Fisk raised a hand to stop her. “I understand. You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” He looked around the room now before leading her a little further from the crowd. “I love this city, Miss Page. I have dedicated much of my life to her and keeping her safe.” He paused to adjust his cufflinks. “I work with a group; we call ourselves the Camerata. It is our goal to provide some stability to our ever-changing city. We could use your voice to help keep this city safe.”_

_This caught Karen’s attention. There had been plenty of rumors about the Camerata, for those willing to listen, so of course she had heard about the group before. And what she had heard made her nervous. In her mind, a small, ‘secret’ organization who worked behind the scenes of the administrators to control the city was something to be concerned about. “My voice? I’m not sure I understand what you are asking, Mr. Fisk.”_

_“I am simply saying someone of your... talents could do a lot of good for the city. People listen to you, Miss Page. You and your words have a greater influence on the people than you know.”_

_“You want to use me as a mouthpiece to further your goals. To manipulate the people?” Karen said, not bothering to filter herself. She could see the flicker of anger cross his face at her words. She had hit a nerve. “I’m sorry. I don’t think that sounds like the right job for me.”_

_“I understand. I do hope you will think about it.” Fisk seemed to struggle to keep his tone even. “We are good friends to have.” His words sent a chill down her spine. Karen knew it was a threat, no matter how thinly veiled it was._ It is better to be our friend than our enemy.

_“We’ll see, but I don’t think I will be changing my mind.” Karen managed to speak as though his threat hadn’t just made her chest clench tightly. “If you’ll excuse me.” She smiled politely before turning to leave, not bothering to give him an excuse. She could feel his eyes follow her until she had left the room._

_“Everything okay, ma’am?” Of course it hadn’t taken the Marine long to join her in the empty hallway. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as she leaned back against the wall. He could see she was nervous, though she worked to hide it, and that put him on high alert. “What happened?”_

_Karen looked back at the door to the ballroom. “Wilson Fisk just offered me a position in the Camerata.” She let out a nervous laugh as she tucked her hair back behind her ears. “He seemed pretty pissed when I said I wasn’t interested.”_

_“You said no to Wilson Fisk?” The Marine looked equal parts impressed and annoyed. The woman was gutsy, which only made his job that more difficult, but how was he supposed to not be impressed by her? “That’s a dangerous thing to do.”_

_“I think it’s even more dangerous than I originally realized.” She sighed and finally pushed away from the wall. “I need to dig into the Camerata. The city needs to know more about them.”_

* * *

“Let’s keep moving. I think I know where we can grab a ride.” His voice pulled her from her thoughts and she stepped away from the terminal. They had only gotten to the next alley when some Process blocked their path. 

After what had happened earlier at the Empty Set, Karen knew exactly who had sent them. 

“They want you back, I bet.” The Marine said as she prepared to fight. “They’re not the only ones.” His voice was softer, so she almost missed his aside. The words tugged at her heart, but she didn’t have a moment to spare to dwell on it. 

The Marine had taught Karen some self defense in the year he had been her bodyguard, but now she moved with such ease it was as if she had been fighting her whole life. More than that, despite the weight earlier, she could lift the sword with ease. It felt as thought it was a part of her now. It was almost as if the weapon was not only an extension of her arm, but her soul as well. How else would she just _know_ how to unlock the programs in the sword, dealing out powerful attacks against the machines? It made wiping out the Process in their way easy.

Once the fight was over, she leaned against the sword, taking a moment to catch her breath. “We’re still too close.” He said as she looked over the water at the Upper East Side. “You can almost see the Empty Set from here.” And she could see the spotlights faintly glowing in the sky. Just as they had been when the Camerata had crashed her rehearsal not even an hour ago. Her head tilted slightly as a thought came to her. If the Camerata was still there... 

“We need to get as far away from there as we can.” He said, almost as thought he had been reading her thoughts. He wanted her to be safe, obviously. That’s what he always wanted, but he couldn’t stop her from doing this. If anyone could make him whole again, it was them. It was their weapon, after all. She could return the sword to them on the condition that they put his soul back into his body and let them go. She would tear them apart piece by piece until they agreed. Karen pushed up from the sword and started down the street again with a renewed sense of determination. 

They met some resistance along the way, more Process intent on stopping them, but it didn’t take long for them to reach the lot filled with half a dozen motorcycles. As she readied one of the bikes, he gave her quick directions that would bring them to the edge of town where they could hopefully escape. “Whatever you do,” The Marine repeated as she climbed onto the bike. “Do not turn right onto the bridge.” Karen secured the sword next to her and then started the engine. He was going to be so disappointed with her when she turned right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to explain a bit of how the city works and all that for everyone who hasn't played the game, but I didn't want to get too technical so hopefully it makes enough sense. This chapter fought me a bit but I'm excited about what's to come! Thank you for reading!


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